Chapter 1 of the Conceptions of The Love of God S. Teresa of Jesus of the Order of our Lady of Carmel St. Teresa of Avila From the Book, "Minor Works Of St. Teresa Conceptions Of The Love Of God Exclamations, Maxims And Poems" |
Conceptions of The Love of God On Some Verses Of The Canticle. Chapter I Chapter Contents Treats • Of the difficulty of understanding the meaning of the Holy Scriptures, especially the Canticle of Canticles. • That some sentences contained in the latter, although they seem trite, homely, and unsuited to the most pure utterance of God and of His Spouse, yet comprise very holy mysteries and sublime ideas. ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 1. Consolation to be found in the mysteries of the Holy Scriptures. 2. How to look upon these mysteries. 3. Misinterpretation of the Canticle of Canticles. 4. Caused by our lack of love for God. 5. How the Canticles comfort devout souls. 6. They demonstrate God's love for us. 7. How profound are the mysteries of the Canticles. 8. Saint Teresa's plea for commenting on them. 9. Her apologies. 10. Whom the Bride addresses in the text quoted. 11. "Let Him kiss me with the kiss of His mouth." 12. The "kiss" signifies peace. 13. The Canticles scandalise tepid souls. 14. They are meant for fervent souls. |
CHAPTER 1
1. Consolation to be found
in the mysteries
of the Holy Scriptures.
░░░░░░░░░░░░
"Let Him Kiss Me
With The Kiss Of His Mouth:
For Thy Breasts Are Better Than Wine."
[1]
1.
I have noticed especially
that the soul appears by these words
to be
speaking with one person
and
asking a kiss from another.
For the Bride says:
"Let Him kiss me
with the kiss of His mouth,"
and then appears
to address the person himself in the words:
"for thy breasts are better than wine."
I cannot understand this,
and I am very glad of it.
For the soul ought not so much
to contemplate and honour God
in those things
that our grovelling intellects can master
in this life,
as in these problems that we cannot solve.
When you read a book,
or hear a sermon, or meditate
on any of the mysteries of our holy faith,
if you find you cannot clearly
comprehend the matter,
I strongly recommend you
not to tire yourselves,
nor to strain your minds
by puzzling over it,
for many of these things are
not suited for women
— nor men either, very often !
2. How to look upon these mysteries.
2.
When our Lord wishes us
to comprehend these matters,
He will enlighten us
with no labour of our own.
This applies to women,
and also to men
who are not bound
to defend the truth by their doctrine:
Those whom God has appointed
for our teachers
must necessarily study,
and they gain by it.
As for us,
let us
accept what He gives us in all simplicity,
and
not tire ourselves by trying
to discover the rest;
Let us rather rejoice at thinking
that we have so great a God,
Whose every word contains
a thousand mysteries,
so that its very first principle
is beyond our grasp.
This would not be surprising were
the language Latin, or Hebrew, or Greek,
but how many things in the Psalms
of the glorious King David
are as obscure to us in Spanish
as they would be in Latin !
Therefore
never rack your brain or tire yourselves
about these matters;
For women need no more
than what suits their capacity
— with this,
God will give us His grace
God will give us His grace
when He chooses.
He will teach us
without any trouble or labour of our own.
As for the rest,
let us humble ourselves and, as I said,
glory in having a God
Whose words, even in the vulgar tongue,
are beyond our understanding.
3. Misinterpretation
of the Canticle of Canticles.
3.
You may think
that some things in the Canticles
might have been expressed differently.
Our minds are so evil
that this would not surprise me.
I have even heard people say
that they avoided hearing them.
Alas, O God,
what most miserable creatures we are:
Like venomous reptiles
that turn all they eat into poison !
From the great favour our Lord does us in
- showing us the bliss enjoyed
by the soul that loves Him
by the soul that loves Him
and
- how He encourages it
to converse with and delight in Him,
we draw misgivings and mistaken ideas
in accordance with our lukewarm love
for Him.
4. Caused by our lack of love for God.
4.
O my Master !
How we pervert all the blessings
Thou bestowest on us !
Thou dost seek ways and means
and allurements
to testify Thy love for us,
but we, unused, as it were,
to love Thee,
so disparage them
that our thoughts
follow their usual track,
and
never penetrate the sublime mysteries
hidden in mere words,
dictated as they are
by the Holy Spirit.
by the Holy Spirit.
Could more be needed to inflame us
with love for God
than the thought that He did not adopt
this way of speaking
without a deep motive ?
I remember once hearing a religious
preach an excellent sermon,
principally upon the joys
of the bride with her God,
and
the congregation scandalised me
by the way that they laughed at
and misinterpreted his words
— for he spoke about love
because it was at the Mandatum [2]
when no other subject was admissible.
5. How the Canticles
comfort devout souls.
5.
I am convinced, as I said,
that the love of God is so strange a thing to us
that we cannot believe
that a soul could thus be intimate with God.
But though these people gained
no good from the words
because they did not understand them,
and
I believe they fancied
that the preacher invented them himself,
yet others
- have drawn
great profit and comfort and reassurance
of their misgivings from this source,
and
- have often thanked God
for having left such gracious refuge
and help to souls
who love Him fervently,
in words which testify
how far He can abase Himself.
Were it not for this,
their fears could not be quieted.
I am acquainted with some one [3]
who felt very anxious for many years
and
nothing could reassure her
until our Lord was pleased
that she should hear certain passages
from the Canticles
which showed her
that she was in the right path.
For, as I said,
she knew that it is possible
for a soul enamoured of the Bridegroom
to experience these
caresses, ecstasies,
overmastering desires of death,
and
desolations, delights and joys with Him,
once it
- has forsaken all worldly pleasures
for His love
and
- has placed itself entirely in His hands; [4]
resigning itself to His will
— not in word alone as many do,
but in very truth, confirmed by deeds.
6. They demonstrate God's love for us.
6.
O my daughters,
what a good Paymaster God is !
You have a Master and Bridegroom
Whose notice nothing escapes,
Who knows and sees everything,
so do all you can,
however little,
for love of Him.
He will reward you,
for He will only look at the love
which inspired your deeds.
To conclude with,
I advise you,
whenever you meet with anything
that you do not understand,
either in the Holy Scriptures
or the Mysteries of the Faith,
not to stop to puzzle over it,
as I said,
nor to be shocked at the tender speeches
which pass between God and the soul.
I am more daunted and overcome
at His love for us,
seeing what we are,
yet since He feels such affection,
no endearing words can testify it so plainly
as do His actions.
And now,
I beg you to
pause a little,
and
think over
the love of God for us,
and
what He has done for us.
Seeing that His love was potent
and resistless enough to make Him suffer thus,
how can He amaze us by any words
through which He utters it ?
7. How profound are the mysteries
of the Canticles.
7.
To return to what I was speaking of.
There must needs be
a deep meaning and profound mystery
contained in the words
of the Canticle of Canticles,
and
they are so precious
that theologians whom I have asked
what the Holy Ghost signifies by them
and
what was their true purport,
have told me that the Doctors of the Church
have written many commentaries
without succeeding in fully explaining them.
8. Saint Teresa's plea
for commenting on them.
8.
Since this is the case,
it seems excessively presumptuous for me
to attempt to elucidate the subject;
but this is
not my design,
nor, however wanting I may be in humility,
do I suppose
that I can penetrate the exact sense.
My idea is,
as I derive great pleasure
from what our Lord
makes me understand
makes me understand
when I hear any part
of the Canticles,
that if I told you about it,
of the Canticles,
that if I told you about it,
it might perhaps comfort you
as it does me.
Though my commentary
may not be applicable
to the words of the Holy Scripture,
yet I may take them in that sense,
if I do not differ from the doctrine
of the Church and the Saints
— and men skilled in theology
will examine my book
to guard against this
before it is shown you —
I think our Lord authorises this,
as He permits us,
when meditating on His sacred Passion,
to ponder over
the many labours and torments
He must have suffered
which the Evangelists never mention.
If we do not act from curiosity,
as I said at first,
but only accept the light God gives us,
I feel certain
that He will not resent our joy and comfort
in His words and works.
In the same way,
it would please and amuse a king
to see a simple shepherd boy,
who was his favourite,
standing amazed at the sight
of the royal robes,
wondering of what material they were,
and
how they were made.
So we women need not be entirely shut out
from enjoying the divine treasures;
As to discussing them and teaching others
on the subject
as if we thought we understood it
without having consulted learned men
— that is another thing.
9. Her apologies.
9.
God knows I do not expect such success
in what I write
— I am only like the shepherd lad
I spoke of.
It is a pleasure to relate my thoughts to you,
although many of them
are very foolish.
So I will begin,
with the aid
of my Divine King,
of my Divine King,
and
with the permission
of my confessor.
of my confessor.
May God grant,
since He has vouchsafed
to let me succeed in aiding you
to let me succeed in aiding you
(or has Himself aided you through me
on your account)
in other ways,
that I may help you now.
But if not,
my time will have been well spent
in writing and thinking
over a subject so divine
that I am unworthy
even to hear it mentioned.
even to hear it mentioned.
10. Whom the Bride addresses
in the text quoted.
10.
It appears to me, as I said before,
that the Bride is speaking of a third person
who yet is the very same
she is addressing,
for in Christ there are two natures,
one divine and the other human.
I will not dwell on this,
because I only intend writing
of what appears profitable to us
who practise prayer
— yet everything
- serves to encourage
and
- rouse to admiration
the soul that fervently desires
to love our Lord.
His Majesty knows that,
though I have heard
these words expounded
these words expounded
and
they have been explained to me
at my own request,
yet this happened but rarely
and
I remember nothing at all about it,
for my memory is very bad.
Thus I can only say
what He teaches me
or
what suits my purpose,
and
I cannot recall having heard anything
about the beginning of the chapter:
" Let Him kiss me
with the kiss of His mouth."
11. "Let Him kiss me
with the kiss of His mouth."
11.
O my Lord and my God !
What words for a creature
to utter to its Creator !
Blessed be Thou
for having taught us
for having taught us
in so many different ways !
Who, O my King,
who would dare to speak thus
without Thy permission ?
It is astounding;
indeed, some may be astounded
at my saying
that anyone may use such an expression.
People may tell me
that I am a simpleton
— "that the bride would not utter
such a speech," — "
the words have many meanings
and
we certainly ought
not to address them to God;
"it would be better
that simple persons should not discuss
such things ! "
12. The "kiss" signifies peace.
12.
I own that the words have many meanings,
yet the soul inflamed
and intoxicated with love
cares for no other meaning,
and
only desires to utter them,
since God does not deprive her
of the right of so doing.
God help me !
Why should we be so amazed ?
Is not the reality still more wonderful ?
Do we not approach
the most Blessed Sacrament ?
I have sometimes wondered
whether the Spouse was asking here
for this favour
which Christ afterwards bestowed on us ?
At other times I have thought
she might have meant
the consummate union of God
being made Man,
that close friendship He contracted
with the human race.
Undoubtedly,
a kiss is the sign of peace and friendship
between two persons.
May God give us grace to understand
how many kinds of peace there are.
13. The Canticles scandalise tepid souls.
13.
Before going any farther,
I have a remark to make
which I think is important,
although it would have been more appropriate
at some other time;
However, I will run no risk of forgetting it.
I feel sure that many souls
approach the most Blessed Sacrament
— Would to God I were mistaken ! —
laden with mortal sins.
If such persons heard one
who was dying for love of God
utter the words I quote,
they
would be scandalised
and
would take it for extreme presumption.
Most certainly they would never themselves
use this expression,
for it and others of the same sort
contained in the Canticle of Canticles
are uttered by love which speaks thus,
and as such persons lack love,
they might read the book every day
and
never use such expressions,
nor even dare to pronounce the words
whose very sound strikes one with awe,
so sublime is their majesty.
And this majesty is Thine, O my Lord,
in the most holy Sacrament,
but as faith is no longer living
but is dead in such souls,
they,
seeing Thee humbled
beneath the species of bread
and
remaining silent
(for indeed
they are unworthy to hear Thee),
dare thus grievously to outrage Thee.
When I consider, O my God and my Lord,
the dignity of Thy divine Majesty
and
the greatness of Thy Sovereign bounty
which lead Thee to communicate
so intimately with base creatures,
I ask myself
how it is that they
- are not beside themselves with wonder
and
- do not seek Thy grace and friendship
with all their heart.
For, not content with
cherishing the soul
and
giving Thyself
for its food and nourishment,
for its food and nourishment,
Thou dost delight in its
- treating Thee
as its tender and beloved Bridegroom
and
- asking Thee to kiss it
with Thy sweet and divine mouth.
In order to bestow Thy gifts and favours
and to draw it to Thy love,
Thou dost speak to it and teach it
with such care
that the words addressed by Thee to souls
to show them their faults, their miseries,
and
to lead them to renounce earthly things
are usually of a kind
of which the very sound
penetrates the mind with fear. [5]
14. They are meant for fervent souls.
14.
If these words were taken literally
they might well awe the soul,
yet to one beside herself
with love of Thee, Lord,
Thou mayest pardon this and even more,
presumptuous as it may be !
For if, my Lord, a kiss signifies peace,
why should not souls ask it of Thee ?
What more can we beg of Thee
than what I plead to Thee for,
O my Master,
that Thou wilt kiss me
with the kiss of Thy mouth ?
This, daughters, is a most sublime petition,
as I will explain to you.
Foot Notes: [1] Cant. i. i : Osculetur me osculo oris sui : quia meliora sunt libera tua vino, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Paragraph #1's Footnote reference #1 "Let Him Kiss Me [1] With The Kiss Of His Mouth: For Thy Breasts Are Better Than Wine." _____________________ [2] The ceremony of the washing of the feet which is performed on Maundy Thursday in memory of our Lord's washing the feet of the apostles on the eve of His passion. It is called Mandatum (whence Maundy Thursday) from the antiphon sung Mandatum novum do vobis — I give you a new commandment. A sermon is sometimes preached during this ceremony. _____________________ [3] The Saint evidently speaks here of her own experience. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Paragraph #5's Footnote reference #3 "I am acquainted with some one [3] who felt very anxious for many years and nothing could reassure her until our Lord was pleased that she should hear certain passages from the Canticles which showed her that she was in the right path. " _____________________ [4] Castle, M. v. ch. ii. 5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Paragraph #5's Footnote reference #4 "for a soul enamoured of the Bridegroom to experience these caresses, ecstasies, overmastering desires of death, and desolations, delights and joys with Him, once it - has forsaken all worldly pleasures for His love and - has placed itself entirely in His hands; [4] resigning itself to His will — not in word alone as many do, but in very truth, confirmed by deeds." Castle, M. v. ch. ii. 5. Hasten over your work and build the little cocoon. Let us ▪ renounce self-love and self-will, ▪ care for nothing earthly, ▪ do penance, ▪ pray, ▪ mortify ourselves, ▪ be obedient, and ▪ perform all the other good works of which you know. Act up to your light; you have been taught your duties. Die! Die as the silkworm does when it has fulfilled the office of its creation, and you will see God [ Interior Castle: Mansion 5: Ch. 2: #5 ] _____________________ [5] This paragraph, from the words, "When I consider," to " with fear," is only found in the manuscript of Baeza |
End of Conceptions of The Love of God Chapter 1 S. Teresa of Jesus of the Order of our Lady of Carmel St. Teresa of Avila From the Book, "Minor Works Of St. Teresa Conceptions Of The Love Of God Exclamations, Maxims And Poems" |
Note: Attempt was made to display the quotes of the other books being cited by the editor's foot notes. But, they may not be the actual intended passages that were cited by the editor since the editions/translations used by the editor may have different paragraph numbering than those available to this blog. |
